Cold
by Storm of Skyclan
Summary: Emberclan Challenge from Grasswing of Wingclan with prompt "Cold". "It's okay Leafpool. I don't mind." Hollyleaf croaked, surprised at her own voice and the weakness in her tone. "I'm glad I came back to ThunderClan." The black warrior stopped as she struggled for breath. Her chest heaved as she fought to continue. "I couldn't bear to… to leave without getting to know my mother."


**AN: Hi (again)! This one is a challenge from Grasswing of Wingclan in the forum Emberclan. If you want to join this clan, the link on my profile! SO enjoy? :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors. I wish I did! **

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Hollyleaf watched from the shadows, green eyes glowing as she scanned the clearing. The ThunderClan camp was bustling with tension and nervousness. The black she-cat could hear Firestar standing in the clearing, yowling out the patrols. Hollyleaf pricked her ears in surprise as yowls reached the hollow. _The Dark Forest has arrived. _Hollyleaf thought grimly as she leaped to her paws.

She faintly heard her name being called out amongst the others being sorted into patrols, but the orders were lost in her thoughts. A few moments later, Firestar's patrol thundered past her and leapt into the entrance barrier.

Hollyleaf had trotted halfway to the gathering of cats in the clearing when a movement from the dirtplace tunnel caught her eye. The plants rustled slightly; too slight for a breeze, but just enough for any cat. Hollyleaf opened her jaws to call out a warning, when a silver and white flash sent waves of relief through her. _Ivypool. _

_What in StarClan is she doing? Firestar's patrol left a few heartbeats ago, and she was supposed to be on it! _Hollyleaf shuffled sideways a few steps, trying not to draw attention to herself. Then, a thought occurred to her that made her blood run cold in denial. _It can't be… Ivypool isn't a traitor. Is she?_

Hollyleaf tensed as Ivypool slipped out of the ferns and crept deeper into the dirtplace tunnel. _I have to see what's going on. _Quickly sweeping her gaze around the clearing, she managed to slide into the tunnel without any of her clanmates noticing.

Hollyleaf opened her jaws, searching the air for any traces of Ivypool's scent. To her surprise, the silver she-cat wasn't even attempting to conceal her scents, and had left a clear trail. The black warrior immediately began to follow it, dropping into her best hunting crouch. Her dark fur made the perfect opportunity for her to slink through the shadows without being noticed. Soon, she caught up with the silver and white tabby; much sooner than she thought.

Hollyleaf slunk up on her clanmate like she was stalking prey, but froze when she saw a dark tabby tom approach Ivypool. _Is that… Brambleclaw? What could he possibly be doing?_

Ivypool was still trying to weave her way through a bramble thicket when the ThunderClan deputy spoke, "Ivypool?" The silver and white cat jumped in surprise and spun around, hackles raised and fangs bared in hostility before she realized it was her clanmate. "Shouldn't you be on Firestar's patrol?"

Hollyleaf watched in silence, tensed like a trapped rabbit in case the warrior was to attack Brambleclaw. Ivypool answered hesitantly, "I-I have to find Blossomfall and Birchfall and Mousewhisker." The silver warrior sheathed and unsheathed her long claws into the soft earth as the brown tabby tom padded closer.

"Do you know where they are?"

Ivypool gulped, and Hollyleaf flicked her tail as she noticed how nervous she seemed. "No!" the she-cat exclaimed. "I wish I did. I want to stop them before…" Hollyleaf unconsciously leaned forward. _Before what? _Hollyleaf squinted in confusion. _Are you a traitor or not? Make your decision! _

"Before they betray their Clan?" Brambleclaw visibly narrowed his eyes and shuffled closer to Ivypool.

"They wouldn't! I _know _they wouldn't!" Ivypool gasped in horror at the thought. "But they'll be scared. Brokenstar has threatened to kill them if they don't fight alongside him." Hollyleaf blinked in surprise. _So she isn't a traitor… But the others may be, no matter what Ivypool says. I better follow her in case she needs help. _The black she-cat crouched down even lower until her belly brushed the forest floor as Brambleclaw swept his gaze across their surroundings.

Peering through a gap in the leaves, she caught a glimpse of the big, brown tabby touching his muzzle to Ivypool's head, kind of like the fatherly gestures he used to do on Hollyleaf and her siblings. A wave of nostalgia washed over her, but Hollyleaf quickly shoved her thoughts to the back of her mind. _There's no time for distractions now. _"Go find them, Ivypool."

"Really? It's okay?" Hollyleaf let out a quiet snort of amusement as Ivypool nearly yelped in relief.

Brambleclaw quickly reassured Ivypool and sent her on her way, before turning in Hollyleaf's direction. A suspicious glint entered his gaze as he warily approached the small bush she was hiding under. "Hollyleaf?" the ThunderClan deputy called out as he padded towards her.

_I'd better go out to see what he wants. _Hollyleaf thought ruefully as she slid out into the open, wincing as the leaves caught on her fur and snatched away some black fluff from her thin pelt. "Brambleclaw", she answered softly.

"What are you doing here?" A soft light entered Brambleclaw's tone as he gazed at her.

"I'm following Ivypool in case she needs my help…" Hollyleaf trailed off when she abruptly noticed that the nearby birds had stopped singing. _That can't be good… _Hollyleaf thought, wrinkling her nose at a putrid smell that she couldn't pinpoint.

Suddenly, the ferns from across the clearing seemed to explode as a dark shape flew out and hurtled toward Brambleclaw's throat. "Look out!" Hollyleaf screeched, pulling herself out of the stupor that she was in and launched herself at the figure, meeting it in midair. Muscle thumped against muscle as Hollyleaf slammed painfully into an unfamiliar tabby tom. Howling in pain as the tom sank his sharp claws into her shoulder, she sank her claw into the nearest piece of dark smelling flesh.

A deafening screech came from the tom as Hollyleaf drew back and realized that she had dug her dirty claws into his eyes. The tabby stumbled back, only to have Brambleclaw rear up and shove him back towards Hollyleaf. Losing his balance, the tom fell onto his back, exposing his belly. Brambleclaw slammed his paws onto the tom's tail, but a powerful back kick sent him flying. The deputy landed on his side with a painful THUMP.

Regaining her senses, Hollyleaf flung herself at the tabby and raked her claws along his right flank, but was met with a powerful boxing to her ears, which sent her reeling back. Ears ringing, she tripped on a branch and fell onto her back. The tabby didn't waste a second before leaping onto her and clawing her stomachs fur, tearing chunks of it out one by one.

Then, without any hesitation what-so-ever, the tom sank his teeth into her neck. Hollyleaf gasped for air as she clawed desperately at his shoulders, but to no avail. A howl of agony rose in her throat as the tom clenched his jaws even tighter, black spots dancing in her vision.

Hollyleaf slowly felt the strength leaving her as she scrambled desperately at the tom's stomach. _I can't give up! I have to help Ivypool! _Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Brambleclaw streaking towards them, yowling a fierce battle cry. Hope surged through her as the tom that was pinning her down turned to face the brown tabby and let go of her throat.

Snarling, the tom leapt off of her and clashed with Brambleclaw in the middle of the clearing, leaving Hollyleaf on the grass, blood pulsing out of her neck wound. _I've got to help him! _Hollyleaf gritted her teeth as she staggered to her paws, swaying unsteadily. Then, she stopped in her tracks.

_How is Brambleclaw beating that Dark Forest warrior? _

It was true. As Hollyleaf crouched, coughing out small amounts of blood, she watched Brambleclaw slide and weave smoothly around the tom, clawing and tearing around him. Blood was spurting out from the tom's wounds, and he was trying to fight back, but the blood loss was quickly weakening him.

_There's something familiar about the way Brambleclaw fights. Something dark… _Hollyleaf narrowed her eyes as Brambleclaw swept out the tom's paws from under him and pummeled his ears. _That looks like… something Ivypool was teaching earlier! Could Brambleclaw had possibly trained in the Dark Forest? _

A yowl of triumph snatched her out of her thoughts, and she straightened up to see Brambleclaw pinning down the gray tom, a feral snarl plastered on his face. The ThunderClan deputy hissed in disgust as the tom promptly passed out underneath him, then stared at Hollyleaf. "Go after Ivypool!" Brambleclaw snapped at Hollyleaf while shaking his broad head to get the blood out of his eyes. "I'll deal with this!"

Hollyleaf stared numbly back at him for a few heartbeats, then nodded at him. Without a second thought, she spun around and tore off towards the WindClan border. The black she-cat charged through bunches of ferns, hissing as one of the leaves blinded her for a few moments, and then hurried along again.

The scent of WindClan steadily grew stronger and stronger as she neared the border. And with it, Hollyleaf gasped as she caught a whiff of Ivypool. With renewed energy, she darted forward, tracking her clanmate through the golden heather that now covered the landscape. She was forced to slow to a brisk trot as the ground kept trying to suck her up. The normally sturdy earth was becoming slimy and soft like mud. _What in StarClan's name is going on? _

Hollyleaf opened her mouth to scent the air. _Birchfall, Blossomfall, Mousewhisker, Applefur, Breezepelt… They must be attacking the Windclan camp! _She sprang forward the best she could, and hared towards the WindClan camp as fast as she could.

Suddenly, pain spiked through her neck, and Hollyleaf looked down to see a steady flow of blood from the wound in her neck. Hissing in annoyance, she slowed a tiny notch and diverted her path to a bunch of cobwebs located on an old birch that she had passed. Remembering her days as a medicine cat, Hollyleaf stripped the cobweb off the old bark and pressed them onto her neck wound.

Panting, she collapsed next to the tree while pressing the cobwebs onto her neck wound. She felt light-headed and dizzy by the time the blood stopped flowing, but she knew she couldn't waste any more time. Hollyleaf pushed herself back onto her paws with a determined look. _I need to help them! _She slowly loped towards the WindClan camp, trying not to open her wound again.

By then, Hollyleaf was already close enough to hear the desperate screams and wails of battle and could smell the metallic tang of blood. She kept going.

After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, she reached the camp wall. Peering through the gorse, Hollyleaf froze in horror. _Ivypool! _A gray and white tom and a skinny white tom had trapped Ivypool against the wall of gorse, and as Hollyleaf watched, another brown tabby with icy blue eyes strided into the clearing.

Howling, the three toms piled onto Ivypool, knocking her off her paws and sliced through her fur. Ivypool let out a yowl of pain, that quickly sent adrenaline rushing through Hollyleaf. _Hang on, Ivypool, I'm coming! _Hollyleaf thought as she ran backwards a few paces. Then, without an hesitation whatsoever, she darted towards the gorse wall and soared over it, landing on the other side next to Ivypool.

"Get off her!" the black warrior yowled in rage as she slammed into the brown tabby that was clinging on Ivypool's back. Her momentum sent both, Hollyleaf and the brown tom who Ivypool had called Hawkfrost, flying and Hollyleaf quickly rolled with it while raking her claw through his fur.

Hawkfrost snarled and rammed her with his shoulder, throwing her off of him. The big brown tabby leapt at her and cuffed both her ears sharply, but Hollyleaf threw him off with a mighty back kick. Leaping to her paws, Hollyleaf sank her fangs into his broad shoulder, and fast as a mouse, used her back legs to kick his ribs.

Hawkfrost screeched in pain, and Hollyleaf staggered back, narrowly avoiding a scratch to her eyes. Whimpering, Hollyleaf cried out as Hawkfrost caught her with his own strong back kick, she felt one of her ribs crack. Wailing in fear and courage, Hollyleaf leaped forward and slammed her right forepaw into his eye.

Hawkfrost took a step back and hooked one of his claws into Hollyleaf's neck, at the exact wound that the other Dark Forest warrior had created. There was a spurt of blood and Hollyleaf saw Hawkfrost flee in her peripheral vision. A silver and white flash landed in front of her, and she faintly registered the fact that Ivypool was speaking to her as her legs buckled beneath her.

Hollyleaf drifted in and out of consciousness as she felt her black pelt being half carried and half hauled out of the WindClan camp as the screeches slowly faded into the background. Every bump, every jolt sent rockets of pain _shooting _through her, but all she could do was moan in pain as her clanmate dragged her toward the ThunderClan camp.

At one point of her consciousness, Hollyleaf tensed up as a strong Shadowclan scent approached. She could feel Ivypool jump in surprise too. _I need to help her! _Hollyleaf fought a giant battle with her limp muscles, trying to force them to move, but they betrayed her and she stayed on the ground. Then, Hollyleaf felt herself being lifted again, this time she was completely off the ground much to her relief.

The next moment she woke up, it was so chilly that she started shivering and her teeth started chattering as she was placed painfully on the grass in the ThunderClan camp's clearing. "Hollyleaf?" a gentle mew coaxed the black warrior into opening her crusted eyes.

Leafpool hovered over her, sadness, grief, and regret evident in her eyes. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were also near, staring at her with shock in their eyes, unable to move. Hollyleaf moaned in pain as Leafpool crouched beside her.

"It's okay." Leafpool licked her cheek in soothing strokes as Jayfeather started pressing cobwebs onto her wounds. Hollyleaf's vision started fading in and out as she realized that she was losing too much blood from the wound in her neck. Clearly, Leafpool had noticed it as well when the brown she-cat gasped in alarm.

Leafpool started shoving cobwebs under Hollyleaf's neck, but somewhere inside, Hollyleaf just _knew _it was too late. _I have so many things to tell my clanmates! I can't go before I've at least made peace with Leafpool! _Hollyleaf started to panic. She took a deep breath, mustering all of her strength for the words to come.

"It's okay Leafpool. I don't mind." Hollyleaf croaked, surprised at her own voice and the weakness in her tone. "I'm glad I came back to ThunderClan." The black warrior stopped as she struggled for breath. Her chest heaved as she fought to continue. "I couldn't bear to… to leave without getting to know my mother."

"Save her! You have to save her!" Hollyleaf winced as the screech pierced her ears. _Ivypool? _"Hawkfrost tried to kill me, but Hollyleaf chased him away!"

Hollyleaf slumped onto the grass, letting herself go as her clanmates' chatter faded away. _It's so cold...So, so cold… _Hollyleaf barely felt the warmth of the sun anymore as her eyes closed. Her last living thought seemed to stand out to her as she felt herself leave the world.

_I'm cold. But now I'm free._

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**SO how was it? :3 Did you like Hollyleaf's point of view? Review your thoughts please! :D And don't forget to read my other stories Just A Shadow and Stormy Feathers and leave a review there. And I have a one-shot named Apologies! ;3 See you all next time! **


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